Best movies like Golden Needles
Last updated March 2024
Looking for movies like Golden Needles? Contribute your knowledge to navigate others to films and tv series you've seen before that might interest them too. Facilitate widening the network of individuals proposing videos to each other. We welcome your involvement!
Plot Summary:
An ancient Asian statue with the power to grant health and long life via secret acupuncture points is being pursued by a wealthy criminal, but his plans are put in peril when a slovenly detective is tasked with protecting the relic.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 450
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: independent film, mystic, exciting, rough, serious, suspenseful, stylized
Best tv shows and movies like Golden Needles (1974):
Similar in 80%
Hot Potato (1976)
Plot Summary:
Martial-arts expert tries to rescue an ambassador's daughter who was kidnapped in Thailand.
IMDB Rating: 3.8
IMDB Votes: 440
Genere: Action, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: cult film
Similar in 85%
Game Over (2005)
Plot Summary:
treet fighter Victor Knox (Andre McCoy), just freed from prison, needs money to be re-united with his wife and child. When invited to join an underground fight tournament promising easy cash, he quickly signs up. Under constant surveillance by virtual spectators, the matches becomes increasingly violent; Vic soon finds himself held captive in a game of endless fighting. To free himself, he must confront the game's creator, known only as The Ref (Daz Crawford, UK Gladiators' "Diesel").
IMDB Rating: 2.9
IMDB Votes: 180
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, surprise ending, independent film
Similar in 79%
7 Grandmasters (1977)
Plot Summary:
An aged Kung Fu practitioner travels across China, challenging the best Grandmaster from each province to prove his mastery of martial arts. Meanwhile is a plot developing behind his back.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 977
Genere: Action, Comedy, Drama
Country: Taiwan
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: action adventure, road movie, exciting, rough, serious, suspenseful, stylized, independent film, cult film
Similar in 75%
Dynamite Brothers (1974)
Plot Summary:
Young black man teams up with a Chinese kung-fu expert to fight a drug ring.
IMDB Rating: 3.6
IMDB Votes: 559
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: grindhouse, independent film, rough, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 90%
Pushed to the Limit (1992)
Plot Summary:
Magnificent Mimi is a woman with a destiny and a bright future ahead of her. She is the world's greatest female wrestling champion, she has a loving boyfriend and loyal family members who care and love her. But things take a turn for the worst when Mimi's boyfriend Nick is wounded and her younger brother is shot to death for trying to stiff local druglord Harry Lee. Lee is the toughest and meanest criminal figure in all of Southern California and if you double-cross him, you won't live to see the sun set. Not only does Lee rule his own empire, he also runs the Kumite, a gladitorial fight ring where warriors battle to the death. Mimi knows the police can't touch Lee with a ten foot pole and so she enlists the aid of her martial arts friend Master Vern to teach her kickboxing and tai chi so she can prepare for combat. Vern doesn't think Mimi is ready for Kumite, as it is a place where only one warrior can be left standing and breathing and the one who loses dies.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 115
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 75%
Double Blast (1994)
Plot Summary:
Two kids with martial arts training and their black belt father rescue a professor from gangsters who want a stone tablet that she has discovered may lead to untold riches.
IMDB Rating: 3.5
IMDB Votes: 138
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, suspenseful, semi serious
Similar in 90%
Ninja Vengeance (1993)
Plot Summary:
Traveling from California to Houston, a martial arts expert suffers a motorcycle breakdown in a small Texas town. But his bad luck proves to be a blessing in disguise for the local townspeople when he discovers the corrupt sheriff and his KKK cronies beating a young black student to death. Following the code of the ninja, the mysterious warrior embarks on a one-man crusade to clean up the streets. But his quest is complicated by a strong-willed young woman who insists on helping him.
IMDB Rating: 2.5
IMDB Votes: 340
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 84%
Bronson Lee, Champion (1975)
Plot Summary:
This is the third and final film of the ZA KARATE trilogy. Tadashi Yamashita reprises his role as the Karate World Champion. Local Japanese karate schools are not happy that a Chinese master will take over the Japanese karate organization and will do everything they can to prevent it.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 51
Genere: Action, Comedy, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, slapstick comedy, slapstick
Similar in 81%
Black Belt Jones (1974)
Plot Summary:
Jones is a secret agent who has gone into semi-retirement, concentrating instead on teaching the martial arts to inner city youths. The karate school is run by a kindly old coot named Pops ,played by Scatman Crothers. His gambling debts, however, bring the local thug, Pinky, down on him. To make matters worse, Pinky is then hired by some white thugs who want to get a hold of the property Pops' school occupies so they can build a shopping mall. When things get heavy, Black Belt Jones leaps into action. Only he's not alone. Pops' daughter, Sidney, shows up to lend a hand, proving herself every bit as agile and powerful a martial artist as Jones.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: grindhouse, disturbing, black comedy, cult classic, action thriller, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast, cult film
Similar in 90%
Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story (1977)
Plot Summary:
Bruce Li plays a young kung fu expert (and waiter) who is trying to live peacefully in San Francisco with his marital arts-challenged friend. But they run afoul of some American thugs, and the fight is on...right!.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 298
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, captivating, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 84%
Never Surrender (2009)
Plot Summary:
From the cage to the big screen, the world's greatest Mixed Martial Arts Champions come together for the first time in a major motion picture. When an MMA world champion is lured into the illegal world of underground cage fighting by an elusive promoter, he quickly realizes that the only way out is to kill or to be killed.
IMDB Rating: 2.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: serious, rough, realistic, exciting, suspenseful
Similar in 86%
Money Fight (2012)
Plot Summary:
Johnny Sanchez has a troubled past which manifests in the dissonance between him and his family, particularly with his father and son. As Johnny gets released from prison, his father's garage is going to be shut down. The only way to save it is to fight in the Red Canvas tournament, an MMA event. Amidst preparing for an opponent who can't be defeated, Johnny must deal with the turmoil of his family and answer for mistakes of the past.
IMDB Rating: 3.9
IMDB Votes: 567
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: suspense, exciting, tense, serious, suspenseful
Similar in 84%
Brotherhood of Death (1976)
Plot Summary:
A group of Black soldiers are home from the war and head to a small Southern town. The town is dominated by a group of Klansmen who keep the Black majority from voting or being treated like human beings. However, these newcomers convince the local population to register to vote so they can take back power and achieve justice. When hundreds show up to register, the Klan responds with violence. Eventually, though, the Black community has little choice other than fight back and the film ends with a small war between these combat vets and the Klan.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 533
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 86%
Fearless Hyena 2 (1983)
Plot Summary:
A pair of evil kung-fu artists, Heaven and Earth, are slaughtering the entire Yin-Yang brotherhood.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, stylized
Similar in 81%
One Down, Two to go (1982)
Plot Summary:
A pair of tough cops go after the mob who jinxed the martial arts tournament and injured their buddy.
IMDB Rating: 4.5
IMDB Votes: 650
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: psychotronic, grindhouse, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast, cult film
Similar in 77%
Puncture Wounds (2014)
Plot Summary:
After returning home from a traumatic tour of duty in Iraq, John finds himself struggling with PTSD. What little peace he had managed to build around him is shattered one fateful day when he rescues a local call girl from a group of violent Aryan Brotherhood pimps. Having killed several of the high-ranking brotherhood during the rescue, John and his family are now the prime targets of Hollis, the ruthless criminal leader of the group.
IMDB Rating: 4.3
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: exciting, suspenseful, rough, serious, suspense, tense, disturbing, realistic
Similar in 84%
Cage (1989)
Plot Summary:
A GI in Vietnam saves his buddy's life, but in the process is shot in the head. The injury results in brain damage to the point where he basically has a child's brain in a (very large) man's body. When they get out of the army the two open up a bar together, but some local gangsters make things tough for them after they refuse to take part in brutal "cage" matches where fighters battle to the point of serious injury and/or death.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 719
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, cult film
Similar in 76%
Brawler (2011)
Plot Summary:
Sidelined by an injury incurred while protecting his young brother, underground fighter Charlie Fontaine feels blindsided when he discovers his brother having sex on his couch with his new wife, Kat. Fueled by rage, a determined Charlie makes plans to get back in the ring and take on his brother in a fight to the death.
IMDB Rating: 3.9
IMDB Votes: 368
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 84 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful, rough, independent film
Similar in 77%
The Local (2008)
Plot Summary:
A wealthy out-of-towner hires an indigent man to abduct an estranged family member.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 347
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 86%
Challenge of the Masters (1976)
Plot Summary:
The Wong family kung fu school gets smacked around by a rival school. Wong Fei-hong gets fed up with the abuse and goes to learn from his fathers master. After one of the rival schools members kills some of the towns people Wong Fei-hong becomes enraged trains even more comes back and gets his revenge.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 796
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized, fast
Similar in 78%
Heroes of the Wild (1977)
Plot Summary:
A regional champion martial artist that moonlights as an honour-bound assassin, Tu Ta Shen, solidifies his reputation by challenging top fighters en route to the other champion, Nan Pa Tien, in order to unify both titles. Along the way he defeats a man who's shame in defeat drives him to suicide. Before he dies, recognizing Tu Ta Shen honour, he asks Tu Ta Shen to defeat a group of Manchu supporters led by none other that Nan Pa Tien. The dying mans son, Sa Woo, tries to kill Tu Ta Shen but is easily outmatched. Tu Ta Shen offer to teach Sa Yoo enough so that he can take revenge for his father. The two set out together; One to fulfill a promise to a dying man, one to keep a promise of revenge.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 146
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Taiwan
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: exciting, humorous, suspenseful, stylized, semi serious
Similar in 81%
Bandits, Prostitutes and Silver (1977)
Plot Summary:
To free his girlfriend from her contract with a greedy madam, Shang Li (Don Wong) teams up with a cold-blooded thief called the Sparrow (Chiang-lung Wen) to hijack a large shipment of silver. But when the heist suddenly goes bad, Shang Li finds himself with blood on his hands and a price on his head. Martial arts superstars Angela Mao and Lieh Lo also star in this kung fu classic from writer-director Pao-Shu Kao.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 113
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 83 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, captivating, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 85%
Kill and Kill Again (1981)
Plot Summary:
Dr. Horatio Kane has been kidnapped, and is being forced to create an army of martial artists who will help take over the world. His daughter, Kandy Kane, enlists the help of Steve Chase (and a few of his friends) to rescue her father before it's too late.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 750
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: South Africa, USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, serious, suspenseful, stylized, fast
Similar in 84%
The Invincible Armour (1977)
Plot Summary:
Hwang Jang Lee is a corrupt Ming guard who frames John Liu for murder. A wanted fugitive, John hides out with a teen who is an expert in the infamous Iron Armor technique, a technique that means the expert can withstand anything. However, Hwang is an expert in it as well as the Eagle Claw's. Can John stop Hwang before it's too late?.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Hong Kong, Taiwan
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic
Similar in 75%
Fury of the Shaolin Master (1978)
Plot Summary:
A government law officer is dispatched to bring his brother's killers to justice. On his bloody mission, untold assassins are thrown at him, but to no avail. One by one they are done away with in a most militant style.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 152
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Taiwan, Hong Kong
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized
Similar in 84%
New Fists of Fury (1976)
Plot Summary:
A brother and sister escape from Japanese-occupied Shanghai to Japanese-occupied Taiwan, to stay with their grandfather who runs a Kung-Fu school there. However, the master of a Japanese Kung-Fu school in Taiwan has designs on bringing all other schools on the island under his domination, and part of his plan involves the murder of the siblings' grandfather.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Hong Kong, Taiwan
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: cult classic, action adventure, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast, cult film
Similar in 90%
Death Duel of Kung Fu (1979)
Plot Summary:
Ming General Cheng (Wang Dao) and his band of soldiers escape to Taiwan after Ching forces topple the Ming Dynasty. Still fearing the deposed general's deadly potential, however, the Ching prince Ta orders his own band of ruthless mercenaries to finish off Cheng and his warriors. The rivals prove to be equally skilled, and soon everybody is kung fu-fighting in this action-heavy martial arts spectacular.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 201
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Taiwan, Hong Kong
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, captivating, suspenseful, stylized
Similar in 78%
The Scorpion (2007)
Plot Summary:
Featuring a mix of Thai Boxing and Ultimate Fighting, SCORPION has been dubbed The French Fight Club. It stars Jerome Le Banner, who is also known as Hyper Battle Cyborg and The Bulldog of Paris, a true kickboxer, famous for his aggressive style - 43 of his 57 wins have come by knockout.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 792
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: France
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: exciting, captivating, psychological, tense, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 79%
Kill the Shogun (1975)
Plot Summary:
Action-drama set during the 1904 occupation of Korea (by Japan). An incident is sparked when the Japanese force the Korean soldiers to strip off their uniforms. Two of the Korean soldiers refuse and go on a rampage against the Japanese, forcing them to take their uniforms off.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 47
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: South Korea
Duration: 114 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 84%
Clan of the White Lotus (1980)
Plot Summary:
Shaolin practitioners and brothers Wu and Hung kill the merciless Pai Mei. However, Pai Mei's even more merciless brother White Lotus takes revenge; killing most of the Shaolin disciples, including Wu and Hung's girlfriend, leaving only Wu's pregnant wife and Hung as the only remaining practitioners of Shaolin left to avenge the deaths. But Hung's kung-fu will not be powerful enough so he must learn feminine kung-fu techniques to help him try and defeat White Lotus.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: grindhouse, stylized, perverse, exciting, offbeat, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast, cult film